'Hot Jesus' Actor Diogo Morgado Talks Life After 'The Bible' and Reflection on Final Episode

By Rachel Liu, Crossmap On March 30, 2013

"The Bible" mini-series is set to air its final episode on the Easter Sunday, when the story of Jesus Christ will end with His death on the cross and resurrection. Diogo Morgado, the Portuguese actor who stars Jesus, opened up about his role as Jesus and reflection on the scene of crucifixion.

The fifth and last episode, entitled "Passion," then proceeds to the conversion of Apostle Paul and to the revelation given to Apostle John.

“I was the only one in the cast [who spent] four months in Morocco who didn’t get sick – that’s something,” Diogo told Access Hollywood Live, when he was asked if anything supernatural happened on the scene.

The filming of the crucifixion scene was life-changing, Diogo Morgado said in an interview with CNN.

"I don't remember. That's how big it was for me," the 33-year-old actor said of the crucifixion scene.

Morgado added that the scene was so significant and strong that he had to detach his real life from it.
"There is a lot of things during those really strong scenes that I basically disconnected my rational part of it. And I do remember how it felt. I have an emotional memory most of all," said the actor, who earned nickname of "hot Jesus" after starring in "The Bible."

"It was painful... it was also magical and unique. I can tell you that one point being on that cross, I had a flash of my entire life leading up to that moment. That's really overwhelming and that's so powerful. There is no way that can't affect you... And it did... I'm still digesting all the things that had happened on there," Morgado recollected.

Downey, who played Mary the mother of Jesus, emphasized the significance of the crucifixion scene.

"It's a phenomenal episode; It could be maybe our best episode. It's takes us through the crucifixion of Jesus, through the resurrection, the Pentecost, the conversion of Paul, right through Revelations," said the former "Touched by an Angel" actress.

"As painful as the episode begins, and it is, it's very hard to watch, it brings us into the hope and the redemptive nature, which is our story."

After starring in such a character-defining TV series, Morgado is unsure as to what roles he can take up next.

“The next audience will be tough!” Morgado told Access Hollywood, adding that God is “in charge.”